Who Are the Zaghawa?
The Zaghawa (Beri) are a Saharan people inhabiting the borderlands between Sudan (Darfur region) and Chad (around Biltine and Iriba). Numbering approximately 300,000-400,000 across both countries, they speak Zaghawa (Beria), a Nilo-Saharan language related to the Toubou languages. The Zaghawa have a long history of political significance: they founded medieval kingdoms, produced Chad's current president (Idriss Déby came from Zaghawa background), and have been central to the Darfur conflict since 2003. Their position along the Chad-Sudan border places them at the intersection of regional conflicts, power politics, and humanitarian crises.
Medieval Kingdom
The Zaghawa have ancient roots in the Sahel. Arabic sources from the 9th-10th centuries describe the Zaghawa kingdom (Kanem) as a powerful state controlling trans-Saharan trade. The Zaghawa/Kanem state converted to Islam around the 11th century, becoming a major power in central Saharan politics. Later, the Zaghawa were displaced from Kanem by related peoples; they migrated to their current territory in what is now Darfur and eastern Chad. This medieval history of state formation and regional influence contrasts with their current marginalization in both Sudan and Chad, providing historical consciousness that informs contemporary Zaghawa political aspirations.
Darfur Conflict
The Darfur conflict (2003-present) has devastated Zaghawa communities in Sudan. The war began when rebel groups including Zaghawa fighters challenged Khartoum's neglect of Darfur. The Sudanese government responded with military campaigns and support for Arab militias (Janjaweed), resulting in what the United States characterized as genocide. Zaghawa villages were destroyed; hundreds of thousands fled to refugee camps in Chad or internal displacement. War crimes charges were issued against Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir. Meanwhile, Zaghawa in Chad have played complex roles—Chad's government has supported Darfur rebels; Sudan has supported Chadian rebels, creating a regional proxy war. The Zaghawa cross-border community has been both victim and participant in these conflicts.
Contemporary Zaghawa
Modern Zaghawa face the legacy of conflict and displacement. In Sudan, Darfur remains unstable; many Zaghawa remain in camps or have lost ancestral lands. In Chad, Zaghawa political prominence (under Déby) brought power to some but also created ethnic tensions and charges of favoritism. Traditional pastoralism has been disrupted by war, drought, and displacement. Zaghawa merchants have been significant in regional trade, including cross-border commerce that sometimes shades into smuggling. Cultural practices including elaborate marriage ceremonies and distinctive handicrafts persist in displaced communities. The Zaghawa demonstrate how populations straddling unstable borders become caught in state conflicts, their cross-border identity simultaneously a resource (providing refuge, allies) and vulnerability (suspicion from both governments).
References
- Tubiana, M.-J. (1985). Des Troupeaux et des Femmes: Mariage et Transferts de Biens Chez les Beri
- Flint, J. & de Waal, A. (2008). Darfur: A New History of a Long War
- Prunier, G. (2005). Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide